"Now I know that the Lord will help His anointed, He will answer him from His holy heaven with mighty victories by His right hand. Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God" (Psalm 20:6-7).
My community takes pride in horses - a big banner where the two interstates come together boldly declares "Lexington, Kentucky - Horse Capitol of the World." We take pride in basketball - big banners fill Rupp Arena declaring decades of NCAA victories for the University of Kentucky. And we take pride in the rolling hills, bluegrass fields, and hand-crafted stone fences that make this region so beautiful. It seems You've created something in all of us that needs to find a sense of community identity, significance, and worth.
But above all, whether in our community or in our individual lives, we are to find our true sense of identity, significance, and worth in You. Our pride is to be in the name of the Lord. Anything we have, anything we are, anything we will become or do that will have any lasting significance at all will be by Your hand through our lives.
So when we see broken hearts healed and the captives set free, we take pride in the name of the Lord. When we see people encouraged in who they are, equipped for what they are to do, and sent to where they are to be, we take pride in the name of the Lord. When we see Your forgiveness for every sin, Your blessing for every curse, and Your provision for every need, we take pride in the name of the Lord.
Your name is the name above every name (Philippians 2:9). And at Your name, Lord Jesus, we humble ourselves from all our pride and take pride in Your name (v. 2:10). It's when our identity and destiny is grounded in You that we can rise and stand in the pride of the Lord, rather than stumble and fall in the pride of ourselves. "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). So help me each day to humble myself in Your sight, to place my trust and find my pride in You alone. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
Friends, I'll be preaching and ministering at Gray's Chapel UMC in Franklinville, NC this weekend, July 22-24 with Pastor Doug Miller and Heather Butler from Wales www.grayschapel.org Please come join us if you're in the area! We'll be hosting An Evening with Heather Butler here in Lexington, Monday night August 1st, with her powerful gifting as a prophetic pslamist. Please see our ministry calendar for details and other ministry opportunities coming up: www.messiah-ministries.org/calendar
